what is death?
by XxAnoniimouSxX
Summary: Summary: Narumi avoids the word ‘death’ when our densed Mikan asked why her best friend isn’t opening her eyes anymore.


Summary: Narumi avoids the word 'death' when our densed Mikan asked why her best friend isn't opening her eyes anymore.

_**NOTE: I DO NOT, WHATEVER I DO, OWN GAKUEN ALICE!**_

**One-Shot**

"Hotaru, wake up!" Mikan shook her best friend who was lying down on a hospital bed. She smiled in excitement. She just can't wait to tell her some news!

"Mikan-chan... Your best friend is resting, okay?" Narumi faced his student with a frown.

But Mikan being oblivious with the look, just smiled again and said. "Alright, sensei! Tell me if she's awake. I'll be with Natsume outside!"

"I will, Mikan-chan..."

***

**Yesterday **

Hotaru, Mikan's best friend, was just staring at her with a smile on her face. Though it's really not typical of Hotaru to smile, well, she's doing it.

"Hotaru!" Mikan smiled at her. "Here! Have the last piece of Howalon!"

Hotaru took the Howalon out of the box and stared at it. "You are sure?"

"Hai!"

Hotaru ate the half of the Howalon and gave the other half to her best friend. "The half is yours, Mikan." she said with a small smile.

Mikan blushed and took it. "Arigatou, Hotaru!" then she ate the Howalon.

Hotaru and Mikan started walking away from the Howalon store and admired their surroundings. They saw children running and playing with smiles displayed on their face. Yes, they are enjoying. Hotaru looked at her best friend again.

Mikan noticed it then she smiled at her while taking her hand for a hold.

"Mikan," Hotaru started.

"What is it, Hotaru?"

"Let's ride the Ferris Wheel later, okay?"

"Alright!" Mikan cheered.

While on their way, they saw two boys sitting under a tree. Mikan smiled as she called the boys. "Natsume! Ruka-pyon!"

The two boys looked up and the blonde boy waved a hand.

"Konnichiwa!" Mikan greeted.

"Konnichiwa, Sakura." Ruka greeted back with a smile.

"Konnichiwa, Natsume!"

"Shut up, Polkadots." Natsume said as he read his manga.

Mikan just pouted.

Hotaru's eyes were now fixed on Ruka as she remembered his words the other day.

_Flashback_

"_Imai," Ruka called before Hotaru went out of the classroom. _

"_What, Nogi?" Hotaru looked at Ruka coldly._

"_There's something I want to tell you..."_

_Hotaru just looked at Ruka, and again, coldly._

"_I like Sakura but I can't tell her..." Ruka blushed. "Is it okay if you'll be the one to?"_

_Hotaru was hurt. She likes Ruka but Ruka likes her best friend. Hotaru kept her emotionless face. "In exchange for 500 rabbits."_

_Ruka smiled at her. "Done! Thanks, Imai." _

_End of Flashback_

"Hotaru?" Mikan called again.

Hotaru blinked and looked at Mikan. "My apologies. What were you saying?"

"I was just asking if it would be alright if we ride the Ferris Wheel with Natsume and Ruka-pyon..."

Hotaru was hurt. She wants to take all her time left with her best friend. Hotaru let out a small smile and said. "It's okay."

Mikan hugged her best friend and smiled. "Arigatou, Hotaru! Aishiteru!"

"I know."

\\\///

Riding the Ferris Wheel, Mikan looked out of the window to see the view. She smiled and said. "Look! I can see the Howalon Store!"

Natsume rolled his eyes. "Shut up, idiot."

Mikan stuck her tongue out. "Bleh!"

Hotaru stared at Ruka while Ruka stared at Mikan. _I am going to tell it to her here then..._ Hotaru thought then she looked at her best friend.

"Mikan," she called.

Mikan sat down properly and looked at Hotaru with a smile. "What is it, Hotaru?"

"I have to tell you something right here, right now." Hotaru answered monotonously.

This caught the two boys' attention.

"Alright. All ears!" Mikan smiled.

"Nogi likes you." Hotaru felt a sting in her heart as she let out those words from her mouth.

Ruka blushed while Natsume widened his eyes.

Mikan was puzzled. Of course, being her, she doesn't know what like and love is... Does she? "Huh?" is all she said.

Ruka slapped his forehead. "Imai," he muttered.

Mikan looked at Ruka. "Huh?" she said again.

"Nogi, it's your turn." Hotaru looked out of the window.

"Imai!" Ruka exclaimed as he blush like a tomato.

"I want you to tell it to her yourself."

"Huh?" Mikan, then, said again.

Everyone was silent. Hotaru kept her emotionless face despite of the stings she's feeling in her heart.

"Sakura," Ruka then started.

Mikan looked at Ruka from the window.

"I like you."

"Like me?" Mikan smiled. "I like you too, Ruka-pyon!"

"I mean... I like you more than a friend..."

Mikan's face dropped as she look at Hotaru in the eyes. "B-but..." She can see that her best friend is hurt. "Hotaru likes Ruka-pyon..."

Ruka looked at Hotaru wide-eyed while Hotaru just looked out the window.

"And I like Natsume..." Mikan blushed as she look down at her shoes.

Natsume stared at Mikan then he smirked. "Tch. Nice to know that you like me too, Polkadots."

Mikan blushed more.

Everybody was silent again then the next thing they know was the ride was over. They went out of the Ferris Wheel quietly and they walked quietly.

Hotaru broke the silence. "Mikan,"

"What is it, Hotaru?" Mikan looked at her with a smile.

Hotaru held Mikan's hand and stopped. The two boys stopped too. "I love you, Mikan."

Mikan blushed but she smiled wider. "I love you too, Hotaru! Demo... Why are you telling it to me?"

Hotaru hugged Mikan.

"Oi, Imai," Natsume started glaring at her. "Are you saying goodbye?"

Mikan faced Hotaru with a puzzled look.

Hotaru smiled at Mikan. "No. I'm just saying that I love Mikan."

Mikan smiled. "Alright!"

\\\///

On Mikan's room, someone knocked on the door. Mikan opened it and saw Hotaru.

"Konbanwa, Hotaru!" Mikan smiled.

"Konbanwa, Mikan."

"Come in!" Mikan grabbed Hotaru's hand and led her into the roof. They sat down and looked at the stars.

"Mikan, I want you to do some things for me tomorrow."

"Alright!" Mikan smiled. "What is it?"

"First, I want you to tell Hyuuga that you like him properly. Second, tell Nogi that I like him. Third, tell everybody that I'm thankful of meeting them. Would that be okay?"

"I guess... But I don't think I can tell Natsume again..." Mikan pouted.

Hotaru smiled and said. "You can do it. I'll be watching you."

"Alright. I'll try."

Hotaru stood up then Mikan followed. They went to the door then when Hotaru opened it, she faced Mikan again and hugged her.

"Hotaru..."

Hotaru faced her and smiled. "I love you, Mikan." then she kissed her on the cheek.

Leaving Mikan confused of why she's doing this, Hotaru left her.

***

Earlier the next day, Mikan knocked on Natsume's door to do Hotaru's favor.

Natsume opened the door while rubbing his eyes, and he's still wearing his Pajamas. "Polkadots, you're early. What do you want?"

"Anou..." Mikan started to blush. "Natsume-kun... Well, the one that happened yesterday... In the Ferris Wheel... I wanted to... uhm... Make it clearer..."

Natsume yawned. "Go ahead."

"I like you, Natsume!" Mikan smiled. "Is that better?"

Natsume poked Mikan on her forehead lightly. "Yes."

"Alright! Well, see you later, Natsume!" When she was about to go, Natsume called her.

"Oi, Mikan!"

Mikan looked at Natsume, shock to hear her name from him.

Natsume stepped forward and kissed her on the cheek. "I like you too, little girl." He smirked and went inside his room.

Mikan blushed like a tomato as she touch her left cheek where Natsume kissed.

"Ohayou, Sakura."

Mikan turned around and saw Ruka passing by her.

"Ah, Ruka-pyon!" Mikan called and blocked his way.

"Hm?"

"Hotaru wants to make it clearer that she likes you, alright?" Mikan smiled.

"O-Okay?"

"Alright! Second one, check! What's the third one again...?" Mikan looked up to think.

"Third one?"

"Oh, Hotaru wants me to do something for her today... I just forgot the third one..." Mikan thought deeply. "Aha! Now I remember!"

"Mikan-chan, Mikan-chan!" Someone called.

Mikan turned around and saw Nonoko on her pajamas. "What is it, Nonoko-chan?" then she noticed her friend's crying. "Why are you crying?!"

"H-Hotaru-chan...!"

Even if Mikan only heard of Hotaru's name, she started running towards her best friend's room.

"Hotaru!" Mikan banged open the door. "Hotaru, where are you?!"

"Mikan-chan..."

Mikan saw Narumi-sensei coming out of the bathroom, carrying Hotaru in his arms, wrapped in a purple towel.

"Hotaru!" Mikan's eyes widened. "Sensei, what happened?!"

Narumi frowned. "I guess Hotaru-chan slept in the bathtub last night."

Mikan sighed. "Oh... Alright! I thought something bad happened to her..."

"We'll have to send her to the hospital to know if she'll be safe, okay?"

"Alright, Narumi-sensei!" Mikan smiled. _I can't wait to tell Hotaru that I've finished the two favors! Now, I'll just have to tell everybody that she's thankful to meet them._ She thought. "But first, I'm going to tell her what happened earlier!" She giggled.

***

"Hotaru, wake up!" Mikan shook her best friend who was lying down on a hospital bed. She smiled in excitement. She just can't wait to tell her some news!

"Mikan-chan... Your best friend is resting, okay?" Narumi faced his student with a frown.

But Mikan being oblivious with the look, just smiled again and said. "Alright, sensei! Tell me if she's awake. I'll be with Natsume outside!"

"I will, Mikan-chan..."

\\\///

Under the Sakura Tree, Mikan sat beside Natsume with a worried face.

"Oi, Polka, what's wrong?" asked Natsume when he noticed it.

Mikan looked at Natsume and said. "Natsume... It has been hours since Narumi-sensei found Hotaru sleeping in the bathtub... And yet, Hotaru hasn't opened her eyes... Will she be okay?"

"Hn. She'll be. Just stop worrying."

Mikan placed her chin above her knees. "Okay then... I'll stop..." Then she sighed. "She'll be okay..."

"Hn."

"D-demou..." Mikan looked at Natsume with teary eyes. "My heart won't stop pounding, Natsume... It's like... Something's going wrong... Something _is_ wrong... It won't stop pounding since I saw Hotaru awhile ago... I tried ignoring it but my heart's still pounding..."

Natsume stood up and stretched out a hand for Mikan to reach.

"Huh?" Mikan looked at his hand then him.

"We'll have to take a look at your best friend then."

Mikan smiled as she took Natsume's hand. "Hai!"

Natsume pulled her up then they started running towards the Hospital.

\\\///

"Narumi-sensei, we're back!" Mikan announced as she opened the door of Hotaru's hospital room.

"Mikan-chan..." Narumi looked at Mikan.

"Is Hotaru awake yet?" Mikan skipped her way beside her best friend's bed with a smile on her face.

But she noticed that the nurse was covering Hotaru's body and when the covers reached above Hotaru's face, Mikan touched the nurse's arm. "Ne, if you're blanketing Hotaru, shouldn't it be just above the neck?"

The nurse was puzzled. "Didn't your teacher tell you?"

Mikan looked at Narumi with a smile. "Something interesting huh? Huh?" she excitedly said. "I guess it's okay to cover the face as well when sleeping! I do that when I'm scared especially when there's a storm and there's thunder."

The nurse covered Hotaru's face.

Mikan looked at Hotaru and hugged her waist. "Hotaru, gomen! I haven't told them the last favor ne... I hope it's fine by you. Ne, if you woke up, why don't you just tell them instead, alright?" She stood straight and looked at Narumi. "Do you know when Hotaru will wake up, sensei?"

Narumi frowned and shook his head.

Two nurses (who are boys) went inside the room and started carrying Hotaru's bed (however you describe that... =P).

"Hey, where are you going to take Hotaru?" Mikan asked.

"We're going to take her to the morgue, little girl. Where people sleeps in peace." The nurse winked at Mikan.

Mikan smiled. "Alright! Is it a cool place ne? Maybe I should sleep there too! I've always wanted to sleep peacefully."

"Mikan," Natsume started.

Mikan looked at Natsume and smiled. "Nan desu ka, Natsume?"

"You really don't understand, do you?" He went beside the girl.

"Understand what, Natsume?"

"Your best friend is-"

"Sleeping, Mikan-chan..." Narumi interrupted.

Natsume surrounded Narumi's body with fire.

"Sensei!" Mikan was about to nullify Natsume's Alice when he blocked her way. "Natsume?!"

Natsume touched Mikan's shoulders and looked at her in the eyes. "Your best friend may be sleeping, as Naru said, but she'll never wake up. Now, do you understand?"

"Never wake up?" asked Mikan. "What does it mean? What do _you_ mean?"

Natsume now freed Narumi then said. "Oi, Naru. It's obvious already and she doesn't know a thing. Why don't you tell her the truth?"

Narumi kneeled down in front of Mikan. "Mikan-chan..."

"What is it, Sensei?"

"Hotaru-chan-"

"Yeah, I know! She's sleeping but she'll never wake up! Am I right?"

"Yes. Do you know what it means?"

"Uhm... No, Sensei..."

"You'll never be able to play and to talk to her, Mikan-chan..." Narumi looked at Mikan's eyes as he placed his hands above Mikan's shoulders. "Hotaru's gone..."

Mikan laughed. "Of course, Hotaru's gone! She's in the morgue. Not here in the room. And she's sleeping peacefully... Ah! Now I get it! She's sleeping peacefully that's why she'll never wake up ne? Now that's scary... So maybe we have to interrupt her dreams so that she'll wake up, right?"

"Mikan-chan..." Narumi shook his head.

"No?" Mikan frowned.

"Hotaru... Comitted suicide."

"Swee-side? What's that?"

"Imai killed herself, that's what." said Natsume.

"Killed herself?" Mikan's eyes widened.

Narumi nodded sadly. "Remember when I found her in the bathtub?"

"Yeah... You said she was sleeping..." Mikan's sight started to blur.

"Mikan-chan... Hotaru left a letter for you..." Narumi reached into his pockets and handed Mikan a small envelope.

Mikan took it and opened it then she unfolded the letter.

**Dear Mikan,**

**I guess, as you read this, I'm already gone, am I right? Of course, I am right.**

**Well, I don't know what I will say... I just felt like I have to write you a letter.**

**I can see you, Mikan. You're acting really excited as to think I'll ever wake up.**

**That proves that you really are stupid huh? **

**Anyway, I just killed myself. I just hope I really am dead. Don't interrupt my**

**sleeping, do you understand, baka? I killed myself by drowning myself in the bathtub.**

**I bet you want to know why I commited suicide huh? Well, I don't know either.**

**Maybe because everybody loves my best friend and they'll love my best friend more**

**when I'm gone. Maybe something like that. Alright, I'll tell you the truth... But I'm not **

**saying what I said earlier wasn't true. **

**I was hurt, Mikan. Nogi likes you. He doesn't like me. I told you, everybody likes you**

**so what's the use of living?**

Tears started streaming down Mikan's cheeks.

**Or maybe I just don't understand why I killed myself.**

**Anyway, Hyuuga has noticed that I was saying goodbye yesterday. I left your room**

**after I said I love you because I want those words to be my last words for you. I hugged **

**you for a last hug and I kissed you for the last kiss. **

**Oh, Mikan, I know you're crying right now. I can see you. Please don't cry, okay?**

**I'll always be with you. Maybe that's the real reason that's why I killed myself.**

**To be with you all the time. **

**I love you, Mikan.**

**Hotaru**

"H-Hotaru no Baka..." Mikan lowered her head.

"Now, do you understand, Mikan-chan?"

Mikan looked at Narumi and smiled. "Hotaru's just kidding, Narumi-sensei..." then she ran towards the morgue.

"Mikan-chan!" Narumi called and followed her. So did Natsume.

\\\///

Mikan uncovered the sheets above Hotaru and shouted at her. "Hotaru no baka! You're the ones who's stupid, Hotaru! Wake up! Hotaru, wake up! I know you're just sleeping!" Mikan climbed the marbled table and sat beside Hotaru's body. "I know you can hear me, baka! Why are you thinking that nobody loves you, huh? How many times do I have to say that _I_ love you! I love you, Hotaru, I love you! Of course, Ruka-pyon likes you! You're his friend, for crying out loud...!!"

"Mikan-chan!" Narumi entered the morgue and widened his eyes to see what he's seeing. Mikan is beside a dead's body.

"Alright! I'll show you! I'll show you that this place isn't the place where you can sleep peacefully! I'm going to prove it to you, Hotaru, you baka!" Mikan cried she shook Hotaru's body and shouted. "And you know what?! The place where you can sleep peacefully is inside your bedroom! How can you sleep peacefully in a marbled thing-a-mabob?! Hotaru, wake up!!" Mikan cried and shouted with all her might.

"Mikan-chan, stop that!" Narumi cried as he tried carrying Mikan down.

"No! I won't stop unless Hotaru opens her eyes! She's just sleeping!"

"Imai's dead, Mikan!" Natsume shouted.

Mikan stopped, as if she froze, and looked at Natsume with puffy eyes and wet face. "Dead? Death is the same as sleeping, Natsume!" She cried. "R-right?"

Natsume approached Mikan and said. "Yeah. But the difference is... When a person is dead, you can never talk to the person... Nor will the person open his or her eyes."

"I still don't get it, Natsume!" Mikan cried.

"You're best friend is dead. That's all you need to know."

"Hotaru... Will never ever wake up?" Mikan asked.

Narumi shook his head.

Mikan looked at her best friend. She was white. Her lips were white. Mikan touched Hotaru's face. "Hotaru... You're... Cold..."

"Dead people have cold bodies." said Natsume.

"Hotaru no baka..." Mikan whispered then she suddenly fainted.

\\\///

Mikan woke up inside her bedroom. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She looked at the clock and it read 7:50 a.m.. Ten minutes more and she'll be late in class. Mikan panicked. She didn't bother taking a bath but instead she wore her uniform and ran towards her classroom.

When she reached the classroom, everybody was quiet. She looked puzzled. Mikan saw Natsume at his seat, reading his manga then she ran towards him. "Ohayou, Natsume." She said sleepily. "Why is everybody quiet?"

"Hn." was all Natsume could say.

Mikan turned to look at Hotaru then she widened her eyes when she saw her empty seat. She remembered everything now. "Oh no..." She whispered.

Natsume heard her. "What's wrong?" He looked at Mikan.

He saw Mikan stepped back and ran outside the room. "No, no, no, no! It wasn't a dream at all!" She said. She turned to Hotaru's bedroom and opened the door without knocking. She panted and saw that her bed is empty. "No..."

"What are you doing here, barging into someone else's room?"

Mikan turned around and widened her eyes. Before her was her very best friend. "Ho-taru..." then tears started streaming down her cheeks.

"Baka, what's wrong with you?"

Mikan suddenly hugged Hotaru as Hotaru let out a small "Oof." Mikan started crying. "You're alive! You're alive!"

"Of course I'm alive, dummy, what's up with you?"

"I love you, Hotaru! I love you! Don't ever leave me, okay?! Don't leave me alone!" She cried.

Hotaru gently hugged her back. "Of course I won't leave you, dummy. What makes you think that?"

Mikan just cried.

Hotaru smirked secretly. _Invention 590: The Dream Bed. The person who sleeps on it will dream something the inventor would want that person to dream. Only 50,000 rabbits. Buy now, it's limited. I secretly placed that bed on Mikan's bedroom for her to dream about me dying. Of course, who in the right mind would commit suicide just because a lot of people likes your best friend? The reason I wanted this dummy to dream about me dying is in order for her to know what death really is. Knowing her, death for her is just sleeping. Well, I kinda included the part when I say that I like Nogi, which is __**definitely not**__ true. Just felt like I have to put it there. Oh well. _

~~~~~0o0o0o0o0~~~~~


End file.
